Divided By Faith
By Michael O Emerson & Christian Smith
“ ...Despite recent efforts by the movement’s leaders to address the problem of racial discrimination, evangelicals themselves seem to be preserving America’s racial chasm. In fact, most white evangelicals see no systemic discrimination aganist blacks. But the authors contend that it is not active racism that prevents evangelicals from recognizing ongoing problems in American society. Instead, it is the evangelical movement’s emphasis on individualism, free will, and personal relationships that makes invisible the pervasive injustice that perpetuates racial inequality.”
This book matters because In a powerful and captivating way, Michael O.Emerson and Christians Smith outline not only how silence perpetuates racism, but also“how well intentioned people, their values, and their institutions actually recreate racial division and inequalities they ostensibly oppose.”Divided By Faith traces the DNA line of racism in America while also speaking candidly for the need of acknowledgement, listening, education and of course true reconciliation which can only come through true repentance and rootedness in the gospel.
As it has been said, the most segregated space in America today, is the evangelical church; Emmerson and Smith address the history of this segregation through exposing what has already been true of American history from the very beginning. The authors graciously walks their audience through the process of examining how, what the church believes about race and justice often falls short in its ability to not only speak truth but to apply it.
Through a lens that is saturated with gospel truth, Emmerson and Smith not only expose the proponents that keep the racial divide alive, but speak to true racial reconciliation that is only achieved through acknowledgement, repentance, lamenting, listening, taking action and of course proclaiming the truth of Christ who “...is our peace, who made both groups one and tore down the dividing wall of hostility” (Ephesians 2:14). Fighting for racial justice is in fact a difficult task, and just as Divide By Faith rightly states, good intentions are not enough-but rather a radically transformed heart that desires to take action to see the walls of hostility destroyed is necessary. “...Education, sacrificial, realistic efforts made in faith across racial lines can help us together move toward a more just, equitable, and peaceful society. And that is a purpose well worth striving towards”